Park Plan

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Consultation has concluded

Guelph is growing and the way people use parks is changing. It’s important we plan Guelph’s park system to provide optimal services as our population grows and changes.

This consultation is now closed. Watch for an upcoming report to council

What is a Park Plan?

A Park Plan is needed to ensure we have an optimal level of service for parks that is accessible to all residents as we grow and is sustainable, affordable and realistic.

The Park Plan is a continuation of the parks conversation from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) and aims to address time-sensitive legislative changes to the Parkland Dedication Bylaw required before September 2022.

Parkland dedication alone will not achieve Guelph’s Official Plan parkland targets. The larger PRMP will explore creative solutions to address those goals. The final Park Plan will be integrated into the PRMP and delivered to Council in 2023.

The Park Plan will:

  • Define our park system to understand our existing conditions
  • Outline future challenges and opportunities facing our park system
  • Plan for an optimal level of service as our community grows and changes
  • Develop strategic directions for parkland retention, optimization and expansion

We need a Park Plan in order to update our policies and priorities in line with the City’s Strategic Plan and to take advantage of new approaches, legislation, trends and guidelines in park planning and development.

Guelph is growing and the way people use parks is changing. It’s important we plan Guelph’s park system to provide optimal services as our population grows and changes.

This consultation is now closed. Watch for an upcoming report to council

What is a Park Plan?

A Park Plan is needed to ensure we have an optimal level of service for parks that is accessible to all residents as we grow and is sustainable, affordable and realistic.

The Park Plan is a continuation of the parks conversation from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan (PRMP) and aims to address time-sensitive legislative changes to the Parkland Dedication Bylaw required before September 2022.

Parkland dedication alone will not achieve Guelph’s Official Plan parkland targets. The larger PRMP will explore creative solutions to address those goals. The final Park Plan will be integrated into the PRMP and delivered to Council in 2023.

The Park Plan will:

  • Define our park system to understand our existing conditions
  • Outline future challenges and opportunities facing our park system
  • Plan for an optimal level of service as our community grows and changes
  • Develop strategic directions for parkland retention, optimization and expansion

We need a Park Plan in order to update our policies and priorities in line with the City’s Strategic Plan and to take advantage of new approaches, legislation, trends and guidelines in park planning and development.

Feedback on the proposed Park Plan

Do you have feedback about the Proposed content of the Park Plan?  We're glad you do!

Share your thoughts with us here.  We’ll use community and stakeholder feedback to update the draft Park Plan before we present it to Council for approval.

Any feedback we receive that is out of scope for the Park Plan will be saved to inform our full Parks and Recreation Master Plan when we continue that work later in 2022.

Consultation has concluded
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

I would love to see as much wild spaces preserved as possible (ie. naturalized areas within or outside of parks). I completely agree with what bcoomber said as well.

ninamcquigge about 2 years ago

Requesting a fenced dog run in Exhibition Park. Would love to also see a bicycle pump track or skills park in one of Guelph's parks for bikers of all ages to learn and practice skills.

AlexArgy about 2 years ago

To please the mayor "Ditto" Bcoomber. Could not have said it better

johnsteggles about 2 years ago

I am concerned that developers can provide cash instead of set aside parkland. It is far too easy for this money to be used for other purposes by the city, but more importantly it leads to situations where neighbourhoods can lack adequate park space. Not good in the long run for the city, even if it seems like a good short term gain. If there MUST be a provision for cash instead of parkland, the cost to developers should be much higher than 5% of going rate!! It should be closer to 25%, to make this a less attractive option for developers.

bcoomber about 2 years ago